The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for organizing a bulk flow of mixed articles. Such mixed articles being of various sizes and shapes into separate destinations. While the invention is illustrated for use with parcel or postal carton handling, it may find applications in the handling of other article types.
Articles shipped in the parcel and postal segment are usually transported in bulk and often in consumer packed articles with barcode printed labels on each article. The articles are of a variety of sizes and weights, and the label can be applied to any surface of the article. In order to direct each article to its destination, the articles are unloaded in bulk from the transport vehicle in a sorting facility. Each article must be scanned so that the article can be properly directed to its destination and weighed so that the transport vehicles are not overloaded and the customer properly charged a fee. The articles must be sorted into destinations which may be a plane or truck destined for a particular city or a local delivery van.
While any capacity can theoretically be achieved by merely multiplying equipment, there is a cost of doing so not only in additional capital outlay, but also in the size of the building that must be built to accommodate the equipment footprint.